1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hinge part for mounting a motor vehicle door and, in particular, a door which is mounted on a motor vehicle body for pivotal movement about two, spaced from each other, pivot axes with a hinge part provided with two pairs of hinge gudgeons.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The hinge parts of this type are used usually for mounting motor vehicles doors the pivotal movement of which is combined with a transverse movement, and which are connected with a door pillar for pivotal movement about a first pivot or hinge axis and are connected with the door for pivotal movement about a second pivot or hinge axis. At that, both the door pillar and the door are provided with respective hinge halves or hinge flaps, which are formed as separately mountable locking or bracing parts. The hinge part is pivotally connected with both hinge halves or hinge flaps with respective hinge pins. From this arrangement of the hinge part, it follows that at least at the beginning of the opening movement of a motor vehicle door, the hinge part serves as a support for the vehicle door. To perform this additional function, the hinge part must have a certain flexural strength, to keep the sinking of the vehicle door during its opening within certain limits. Likewise, the hinge part should have an adequate torsional resistance to insure a predetermined movement path of the door during the course of its opening or closing.
A hinge part of the above-discussed type for a motor vehicle door, which is mounted on a motor vehicle body with two, vertically spaced from each other, pairs of hinges, is disclosed in German Publication DE-OS 42 37 060. The hinge part disclosed in this German Publication is formed as a shaped, hollow box support with two hinge halves provided at its free ends for attachment to a vehicle door and a door pillar. This hinge part is constructively characterized in that it is formed of two opposite bulged sheet metal shells connected with each other by spot welding. This construction of the hinge part, while insuring mounting of a door, in which the pivotal movement is combined with transverse movement, comparable with the previously used hinge parts, permits to substantially reduce the weight of the door assembly and a certain reduction of costs associated with mounting of the door. However, the manufacturing costs of this hinge part, which is formed of two sheet metal half-shells welded with each other, are rather high. On the other hand, manufacturing of a hinge part from two separate sheet metal pressed workpieces is associated with an increased scattering of tolerances. In additional, mounting is somewhat complicated by a necessity to provide auxiliary parts for connecting the hinge part with the door pillar and the door, which is associated with a necessity to insure an additional tolerance compatibility.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a hinge part of the above-discussed type which would have a greater stability, in particular a greater flexural strength, and a greater resistance to deformation in comparison with prior art hinge part.
Another object of the present invention, is to provide a hinge part of the above-described type which would have a substantially reduced weight.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a hinge part of the above-described type which would insure an easy connection of pre-fabricated hinge gudgeons.